Tag Archives: MST3K

Shout! Factory will release the thirtieth (yes, thirtieth!) volume of episodes from the classic cult hit series Mystery Science Theater 3000 later this month. This latest grouping of episodes is one more welcome addition to the library of any MST3K fan and an equally welcome way to beat the heat this summer. For that matter, it’s just as welcome an alternative to the seemingly endless stream of prequels, sequels, and remakes currently polluting the nation’s theaters right now. The main reason for the enjoyment of this set is obviously the movies featured in the set. As with every single previous box set, the writing for Mike, Joe, and all the rest is just as sharp and hilarious as ever. And last but definitely not least, the bonus features included in each disc round out the whole thing. All three pieces together make MST3K: Volume XXX one more must have both for any fan of this cult favorite and for any true-blooded classic film buff.

The first and most obvious reason for the success of MST3K: Volume XXX is the grouping of movies chosen for the collection. Four more movies from Hollywood’s golden era have been chosen for this collection. And they feature some of the most legendary names in the history of the movie industry. One of those names in question is none other than Willis O’Brien, who was the mentor to fellow legend Ray Harryhausen. O’Brien’s famed stop-motion techniques were used in The Black Scorpion (1957), which is the first of the set’s movies. Also included in the set are Outlaw of Gor (1988), It Lives By Night (1974), and The Projected Man (1966). Audiences may or may not recognize a very young Jack Palance (City Slickers, City Slickers II, Batman) in Outlaw of Gor. And while they may not have ever become as big as Palance, the cast members of each of the other movies included in this set each put forth their best effort, which will potentially make them memorable in their own right. And now thanks to the movies seeing the light of day once again thanks to this new box set, those cast members both famous and not so much will get new notoriety. What’s more, audiences that might never have heard of these movies will receive a film history lesson from the movies themselves. That featuring of some of Hollywood’s biggest names alongside some of the lesser known names and movies shows why the movies themselves are key to the enjoyment of this latest volume from Mystery Science Theater 3000.

The movies included in this volume of MST3K are the biggest reason for the collection’s enjoyment. On a somewhat deeper level, the show’s writing holds its own importance. Whether it be in the outrageous skits that bookend the movies or the biting commentary itself made during the movie, the show’s writing in these episodes is hilarious. The barbs aimed at the movies include countless pop culture references that the show’s original audiences will appreciate. From the Three Stooges and the Smashing Pumpkins to Cosmo magazine to classic movies and television shows other than the movies being exhibited, the writers (and the delivery of the jokes) will have audiences laughing tears of joy. The writing in the show’s skits is just as entertaining as the commentary that fills each of the movies. This time out, Pearl discovers her evil lineage in one episode. In another, Dr. Forrester’s experiment ends up badly, with both his assistant and himself altered in unexpected ways. There are plenty more laughs from the skits that will leave audiences in stitches. Those laughs will come when audiences purchase this box set for themselves.

The writing that went into the skits and commentary along with the movies themselves chosen for this volume of episodes together more than put the box set over the top by themselves. The bonus features included with each of the movies collectively finish off the set. Just one example of how the bonus features put that finishing touch on this set is the bonus “Making of” featurette included with The Black Scorpion. That featurette is more a history lesson about the history of stop motion in film than a documentary on how the movie in question came to life. Audiences learn where stop motion started in the movie industry and its significance in the overall picture of The Black Scorpion. Audiences will enjoy just as much the interviews with the heads of Outlaw of Gor. Included as bonus material in this movie are interviews with the movie’s director and producer. There is also a feature on author John Norman and his books from which Outlaw of Gor was adapted. It all definitely makes for its own added entertainment. And that entertainment together with each episode’s solid writing and the movies themselves puts the finishing touch on one more volume of films and comedy that every MST3K fan will definitely want to add to their own home library.

Shout! Factory will release later this month, the latest installment of episodes from the cult classic TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Volume XXX will be released in stores and online Tuesday, July 29th. Volume XXX features four more episodes from the series. Featured in this collection are: The Projected Man (1966), The Black Scorpion (1957), Outlaw of Gor (1988), and It Lives By Night (1974). This collection of movies features work of classic movie legends Ray Harryhausen (The Black Scorpion) and Stan Winston (It Lives By Night).

The Black Scorpion centers on two American geologists that work with the Mexican military to stop a horde of giant spiders that emerge from a volcano in Mexico after the volcano explodes. The fight eventually culminates in a fight in one of Mexico City’s bullrings with the biggest and baddest of the giant spiders. It stars Richard Denning, Mara Corday, and Carlos Rivas. Included in this feature are the movie’s original theatrical trailer and a behind the scenes featurette, “Stinger of Death: Making The Black Scorpion.

It Lives By Night features the work of another legendary name in movies in Stan Winston. This movie sees a young newly married couple’s honeymoon turn into a nightmare when the groom, Dr. John Beck (Stewart Moss) is bitten by a rabid vampire bat. He is of course, turned into a man-bat of sorts with quite the taste for blood. And his own bride is not safe after he turns. This feature includes a bonus extended trailer for “The Frank” music video as extra material.

Outlaw of Gor sees Urbano Barberini play Professor Tarl Cabot in the adaptation of author John Norman’s sci-fi fantasy series of novels. It is the second adaptation of Norman’s works to be featured over the course of MST3K’s run, too. The movie, release by Cannon Films, sees Cabot return to the planet of Gor to face off against a vicious queen (Donna Denton) and equally evil priest Xenos (Jack Palance). Xenos has accused Cabot of murder. So Cabot must uncover the truth and clear his name in the process. As an added bonus for audiences, this movie also includes as extra material, “Writer of Gor: The Novels of John Norman,” “Director of Gor: On set With John “Bud” Cardos,” and “Producer of Gor: Adventures With Harry Alan Towers.”

The Projected Man is a warning of sorts that’s just as entertaining as it is serious. The movie presents the story of a scientist that becomes horribly disfigured while working on teleportation science. After a freak accident involving his experiments, the man’s body not only becomes disfigured but also electrically charged. This means that he cannot be touched by anyone, lest those people die. This 1966 sci-fi flick stars Mary Peach, Bryant Haliday, and Norman Wooland. This movie includes the bonus making of featurette “Shock to the System: Creating The Projected Man” and the movie’s original theatrical trailer.

Shout! Factory has done it again. The company that has brought audiences of all ages so many great classic TV series and movies has released yet another hit in Mystery Science Theater 3000 Volume XXIX. The cult favorite TV series continues to show in its latest four-disc box set, why it remains such a beloved series even today. It shows this first through the skits that accompany the movies chosen to fill out this set. The movies in question are another reason that audiences will appreciate this latest collection of episodes. And the bonus material included in the set rounds out the set, making it complete. There is much more that could be discussed as to what makes this box set so great. The jokes and pop culture references made throughout each movie evidence this. Those jokes and references combine with the bonus features, selected movies, and skits to make Mystery Science Theater 3000 Volume XXIX one of the potentially best box sets of the year.

Mystery Science Theater 3000 Volume XXIX is potentially one of the best new box sets of 2014. One of the reasons for this label is the skits included in each of the set’s four episodes. Audiences get to see Mike and his robot pals deal with Pearl as she unsuccessfully tries to host her own ball as part of The Pumaman. And both Pearl and Mike have to deal with a trio of “superbeings” that think Pearl and Mike to be “as amoebas” to them in the skit accompanying The Thing That Wouldn’t Die. Joel has to deal with his boss at the Gizmonic Institute in Untamed Youth and Hercules and the Captive Women. The skits themselves are so cheesy. Much the same can be said of the acting on the part of all involved. And that it’s meant to be so cheesy makes it all so much more entertaining. Long-time fans of this cult favorite series will find themselves laughing hysterically at each skit as if it was the first time that they had seen them. Those that might be seeing the skits in each episode will find themselves laughing just as hard after scratching their heads in totally confused yet entertained disbelief.

The skits used to introduce each film in this set are worth more than their share of riotous laughter. One can’t help but wonder where the writers—who also served as the show’s cast—came up with the ideas for them. One can’t help but compare the skits to really bad drug trips. Regardless, they are hilarious. Just as hilarious as the skits, are the movies chosen for each episode. This box set includes Hercules and the Captive Women, Untamed Youth, The Thing That Wouldn’t Die, and The Pumaman. The Pumaman is easily the most entertaining the movies included in this set. It presents a professor named Tony Farms, played by Walter G. Alton, Jr., who starts out just an ordinary scientist and becomes The Pumaman after being located by the descendant of an ancient alien race named Vadinho. Vadinho gives Professor Farms a belt that turns him into the superhero Pumaman. Given, the movie was crafted and released in 1980. But even for the day, the movie’s production values and writing were horrendous. Thus it earned the distinction of being added to MST3K’s schedule. Alton notes in the movie’s bonus interview that he was genuinely not happy with the biting commentary on the movie on the part of Mike and his robot pals. But there’s no denying that as serious as the cast and crew took themselves in making the movie, the end result was anything but a movie that could have been taken seriously.

The movies included in MST3K Volume XXIX are just as important as those included in the series’ previously released box sets not just for their entertainment value, but for their historical value, too. Those audiences that are more interested in the history of the movie industry will appreciate seeing one more example in this set, of how far the movie industry has come since its earliest days. It’s astonishing to see just how much things have changed since the days of these movies. It’s just as interesting to note how little has changed in that time, too. For that reason, this latest volume of MST3K is made even more enjoyable for audiences.

The skits and the movies featured in MST3K Volume XXIX together make this latest volume just as entertaining as the series’ previous box sets. The bonus material included in each episode puts the finishing touch on the set. Audiences that watch The Thing That Wouldn’t Die get an extra bit of Hollywood history when they watch the bonus feature, “The Movie That Couldn’t Die.” Audiences learn through this feature that the censors still had quite a bit of pull even back then. It’s noted that a particular flashback scene involving the antagonist being beheaded originally involved a priest damning the figure. Apparently, the censors didn’t like the thought of a priest condemning the antagonist. So his character was changed to that of a random man. And as noted previously, actor Walton G. Alton, Jr. expressed his displeasure with the zingers tossed at The Pumanman because he and his cast mates had taken the creation of that movie so seriously. It’s one more item that makes the viewing experience of the movie all the more enjoyable and richer. The same can be said of the interview with actress Mamie Van Doren in Untamed Youth. These bonus features are the final pieces of MST3K Volume XXIX that make the box set whole. Together with the skits and the movies themselves, they make this set one that fans new and old will love to watch over and over again. It is just as great an introduction to the series for new fans as it is a continuation for the show’s more seasoned fans.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie is an absolutely funny final farewell for this cult classic TV show. The movie was already extremely difficult to find in its original release some years ago. Now thanks to a partnership between Universal Studios Home Entertainment and Shout! Factory fans of the show and its big screen finale can finale add this piece of movie history to their home libraries. And they can do so in proper fashion on Shout! Factory and USHE’s release of the movie in a double-disc Blu-ray/DVD combo pack release. The movie itself is reason enough to pick up this new re-issue. The choice of movies to be*critiqued* by Mike and his robot friends was another positive. And in turn, the feature on the making of both This Island Earth and on the history of MST3K: The Movie seal the deal for fans. Together with the movie and the movie within the movie, the whole package becomes one of the best re-issues of 2013.

The story behind MST3K: The Movie will impress any hardcore fan of this cult show. It plays out just as if it was an extended episode from the show itself. Ironically enough, as audiences will learn in the bonus feature, “Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie: The Motion Picture Odyssey”, that actually was not the intent of those behind the cameras and the movie’s script. That aside, all of the irreverent humor that made the television series so funny is here. The same can be said of the hilariously intentional low-grade sets and special effects that made the original series so funny, too. It was obvious that despite being a big screen feature, the people behind the cameras wanted to make sure that this feature entertained the show’s core audiences just as much as the original show did. And it did just that. The interesting fact here is that as hilarious as the movie was, those behind it faced a lot of contention from Universal in its creation. This is revealed in interviews in the extremely in-depth bonus feature that is “Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie: The Motion Picture Odyssey.”

“Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie: The Motion Picture Odyssey” is one of two bonus features included in the movie’s new re-issue that make it even more enjoyable this time around. This feature actually should have been the “Making of Feature” rather than the “Making of” feature that was included. That’s because of just how in depth this feature turned out to be. It offers a glimpse into the movie from its conceptual stage all the way to its premiere. Along the way, audiences are presented with both the good and the bad of the movie’s eventual creation. Some of the most interesting of the stories involve creative conflicts between Universal’s brass and those in charge of the movie itself. One of the most notable of those anecdotes involved a joke centered on the alien creature crafted for the story. The joke involved comparing it to one Bootsy Collins. According to the story shared by Trace Beaulieu, the studio brass didn’t want the joke in the movie because they thought that no one knew who Bootsy Collins was at that time. So the joke ended up being pulled. It’s wasn’t the only conflict those behind the cameras had with Universal, either. According to the stories shared, there were a number of conflicts between the two groups. And viewers will get to find out just how many there were when they pick up this re-issue for themselves when it is released on September 3rd.

“Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie: The Motion Picture Odyssey” is the heart of the bonus features in the new re-issue of this release. However, just as with the previous MST3K box sets, this one also includes a fully in-depth analysis of the movie screened within the main feature. And this analysis is no different. “This Island Earth: 2 ½ Years in the Making” offers audiences a complete look at the work that went into making the movie in question. In offering the discussion, it also goes into a certain amount of depth as to what makes the movie so important in the overall picture of 1950s science fiction flicks. One of the most notable facts shared in this special is that had the mutant used to move the story not been included, the movie would have been considered a movie for adults. And it was Universal’s brass that insisted the mutant be included as it would bring in young audiences. Speaking of the mutant, those interviewed for this feature actually go into depth about the mutant, even going so far as to share some laughs about it. As with the previously mentioned bonus feature, there is so much more for viewers to take in here, too. Together with the previously mentioned feature and with the movie itself, the whole package proves in the end to be another joy from Shout! Factory and one more of the best of the year’s re-issues. It will be available Tuesday, September 3rd and can be ordered online direct via the Shout! Factory website at http://www.shoutfactory.com/?q=node/217794. Audiences can find out more about this release and other upcoming releases from Shout! Factory on the official Shout! Factory website at http://www.shoutfactory.com and the official Shout! Factory Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/shoutfactoryofficial.

The latest installment of the cult classic, Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K), keeps the laughs coming yet again. MST3K Volume XXVII brings audiences four more episodes and four more movies that are so bad that they’re good. And of course, what volume of MST3K episodes would be complete without the absolutely hilarious commentary by Mike, Joel, Crow, and Tom Servo? It’s all here in one more collection that any fan of this classic series will love to watch again and again. Audiences even get to see a young Ron Howard away from his more well-known role as Opie Taylor in one of the movies.

From giant dancing teens to Cold War propaganda to a giant killer bug to subterranean creatures coming to take over the surface world, this volume has more than its share of campy greatness in its four discs. The set is anchored by what is one of Universal’s best of the bad in The Deadly Mantis. The Deadly Mantis is just one of the many classic horror/sci-fi flicks that Universal Studios churned out after the success of its original monster movies (Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, The Creature from the Black Lagoon). This terribly campy flick features a giant prehistoric praying mantis wreaking havoc on the world when the iceberg in which it was encased breaks loose from the arctic and thaws out in warmer waters. This sci-fi classic was one of the campiest of Universal’s monster movies. But by comparison to today’s over-the-top movies claiming themselves to be horror, it is a welcome inclusion for fans of real sci-fi and horror flicks. Mike, Crow, and Tom Servo’s irreverent commentary makes it even better. There are pop culture references, some slightly politically incorrect jokes, and even some that are so nonsensical that one can’t help but laugh at them. The jokes are just part of what makes this movie the anchor to this new set. Fans of classic movies will appreciate the bonus feature on the life of William Alland. “Chasing Rosebud: The Cinematic Life of William Alland” explains the importance of Alland in the history of monster and sci-fi movies. Whether viewers are watching this movie for the first time or for the first time again, this feature will make audiences appreciate his work and The Deadly Mantis even more as a campy yet highly important piece of movie history.

If a classic monster movie from Universal isn’t enough, then perhaps audiences will enjoy the Cold War era propaganda piece, Rocket Attack U.S.A. This black and white movie was centered on tensions between the United States and Russia and what would happen if the two sides both launched their nuclear warheads. It would be no surprise if this 1961 classic was at least partially the influence behind the far more influential 1964 drama, Failsafe. The movie’s criticisms don’t’ stop during the film. Just as with the other movies in this and previous volumes of MST3K episodes, this episode is presented exactly as it aired, complete with intermission segments. The killing of the movie keeps going with its intermission segment as Joel and company go off on the evil Dr. Forrester about all of the movie’s inconsistencies. It’s so funny hearing them filet the movie because viewers know that what Joel and company have to say is exactly what they themselves would have said. That ability to relate to viewers event today makes both this flick and The Deadly Mantis (as well as the set’s other pair of movies) as enjoyable as they are campy.

The movies included in this latest volume of MST3K episodes are funny and enjoyable. It should be noted that Village of the Giants probably isn’t entirely proper for younger viewers. If anything, it comes across as a little bit of an exploitation film, as the “teen” girls outgrow their clothes when they grow. They do keep themselves covered. But some parents might find this a little unsuitable for children. That aside, there is one more factor to note in this new set of episodes. That factor is the set’s packaging. Each episode is set in its own slim case within the larger box. And each box has its own hilarious artwork that goes along with the movie. The artwork used on each episode’s box is just as campy as the movies themselves. So even before viewers put in each disc, they get a good laugh from the artwork on each case. That each disc has its own slim case, this protects each disc from scratching. It’s one more positive—along with the set’s other factors–that will impress fans from the very first time they pull the wrapping from the box.

For years, Shout! Factory has released to audiences twenty-six volumes of episodes from the hit cult comedy/sci-fi series, Mystery Science Theater 3000 (otherwise known by fans as MST3K). This summer, fans will see a twenty-seventh volume hit store shelves and online outlets. And this fall, fans get even more of a treat when Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie will be re-issued by Shout! Factory on a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack.

Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie originally debuted in theaters in 1996. The movie was centered on the 1955 sci-fi classic, This Island Earth. Now fans of the cult favorite show and its subsequent movie will get to add this modern classic to their libraries when the movie is re-issued on Tuesday, September 3rd. This time out, it’s not just Mike, Crow, and Tom Servo that could be subjected to the best of the worst of Hollywood’s sci-fi flicks. The evil scientist Dr. Clayton Forrester explains in the movie’s opening that he plans to torture the people of the whole planet to the movies that for years Mike and company have had to endure. Who can stop them? Leave it to Mike, Crow and Tom Servo….perhaps. Audiences will have to find out for themselves when Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie is released on Blu-ray/DVD combo pack Tuesday September 3rd.

The following bonus features and specs included in the upcoming re-issue are below:

Special Features:

The Making Of Mystery Science Theater 3000 The Movie

The Making Of Mystery Science Theater 3000 The Movie : The Motion Picture Odyssey

Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K as it will henceforth be known) has always been considered largely a cult hit among audiences. If that is the case, then it’s something of a surprise that to this day, it is still such a massive hit among not just its original audiences, but a whole new generation of audiences. That is thanks to the good people at Shout! Factory. And thanks to those same people, fans of this timeless show have yet another brand new volume of so bad they’re good b-movies to enjoy along with Joel, Mike, Tom Servo, and Crow T. Robot.

Everything that’s been said about this show has already been said twenty-five times over and then some. But it would be impossible to go into this latest set of episodes without reminding audiences that this show is just one part of what used to make Syfy (then SciFi Channel) so great. As already noted, the movies presented in this classic cult show are so bad that they’re good. Though, it’s great to see many of Universal’s classic monster and sci-fi movies resurrected here. They’re just part of the show’s success. And this latest set also includes another of those classic Universal movies in the form of The Mole People. This movie features actor Alan Napier, who many might recognize as Alfred Pennyworth from the classic Batman TV series. It’s one of those movies that fans of Svengoolie would definitely have on his show on Me-TV on Saturday nights. The movie itself takes the heroes into the interior of the Earth, where they discover an ancient civilization of people who worship the goddess Ishtar. But they aren’t the only ones that the heroes have to face. The mole people are there, too. And they are a danger to everyone. The movie itself is pretty campy on the surface. That’s not bad. But the bonus “Making of” feature included with this movie really makes it worth the watch. It is a bonus in every way. It discusses the deeper, more social take on the movie. Those interviewed in the feature discuss how the white guards flogging the darker mole people who “came from below” was a commentary on the America’s racist past. Speaking of racist views, it’s interesting to learn that scenes involving a man and woman from different ethnic backgrounds being together were edited out by censors, since this was released in the 1950’s. These are just a couple examples of what make this “making of” feature a true bonus and why it makes this movie even more of an interesting addition to this latest set. It’s one more example also of the impact of bonus features on a movie.

The Mole People is just one of the movies in this set featuring an underground world. The absolutely campy 1988 movie, Alien From L.A. also takes place in a world just beneath the Earth’s surface. It stars a then very young Kathy Ireland. Ireland was actually in her mid-twenties at the time that this movie—which was also her very first ever feature film–was filmed, though she was playing the role of a teen. Ireland stumbles into the underground world when she sets out to find her lot archaeologist father (played here by Richard Haines). In the process, Wanda (Ireland) is transformed from a plain, whiny, high pitched girl to a beautiful supermodel style figure. And during her time in the underground world, she uncovers an evil government plot to keep the people of the world to know about the surface world. As campy as the movie is, the interview with director Albert Pyun raises an interesting note. Pyun notes in his interview that part of his intent in the movie was examining the feeling of what was a young girl having the feeling of an adult being trapped in a girl’s body, thus the transformation. Just as interesting to note in his interview is that he admits that he had never seen Mystery Science Theater 3000 before the show’s heads announced that this movie would be featured. Pyun also discusses plenty of other matters centered on the movie. But audiences can check out all of that for themselves when they pick up the brand new box set for themselves. It is available now in stores and online. It can be ordered direct from the Shout! Factory store at http://www.shoutfactory.com/?q=node/216588.